In the field of packaging of electric components onto a substrate, it is frequently desirable to provide an electrical connection between some of these components and a heatsink. This may be to facilitate the conduction of a significant current, or for using the heatsink as an electromagnetic interference shield. Typically, the components are mounted onto a substrate that is disposed on the heatsink. Prior art schemes have been divised to electrically connect the pertinent electrical components located on the substrate and the heatsink.
One scheme relies on electrically connecting certain electrical components located on the substrate with the heatsink using aluminum wire bonds. This requires the disposal of a bonding pad onto the substrate. Then an aluminum wire is ultrasonically bonded between the heatsink and the bonding pad. This connection scheme is undersirably expensive and difficult to manufacture. Also, it has undesirable electrical performance because of the wire bond's electrical performance at high frequencies. Further, it is unreliable in applications with a severe vibration environment.
Another prior art scheme applies a metal post inserted into a metal baseplate and extending through a solderable feedthrough via in a substrate. In this scheme it is difficult to reliably solder the pin to the solderable via, is costly because of a seperate post, and is generally difficult to manufacture.
A connection approach that is reliable, easily assembled, and less expensive is clearly needed.